Reclosable metal container



w. F. PUNTE 7 RECLO SABLE METAL CONTAINER Filed Oct. 4, 1943 lllllllllmll Patented Aug. 21, 1945 I RECLOSABLE METAL CONTAINER William F. Funte, Passaic, N. .11, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 4, 1943, Serial No. 504,943

Claims. (01. 220-48) The invention relates generally to metallic container structures and primarily seeks to provide a simple inexpensively constructed container having a primary, readily removable metallic closure capable of maintaining a vacuumseal, and a secondary, paper disc closure that can be utilized for effecting reclosures of the container.

In its'more detailed nature the invention seeks to provide a metallic container including a body having an inwardly directed bead adjacent its upper end, and a metallic closure having a peripheral portion directly contacting the upper portion ofthe bead and having a pinch score extending continuously therearound at a diameter greater than the internal diameter of said head and weakening the, closure so as to permit easy tearing out of the central part of the closure without destroying the effectiveness of the closure in sealing the desired evacuated condition in the container, the projection of the bead inwardly beyond the score line servingto shield the metal edge provided as a result of the tearingout of the central part of the closure from direct contact by the hand of a user of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container structure of the character stated in which the metallic closure is secured to the container body by an upstanding double rolled seam which provides a depression in which the paper reclosure disc is received, said seam having indentations therein for frictionally retaining said disc.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more fully understood by following the detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a part side elevation and part vertical cross sectional view illustrating a container embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is an edge view of the removable and replaceable reclosure disc.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, the reclosure disc being removed preparabody 5 and an end closure 6 at its lower end, said end closure preferably being secured in the usual manner as by a double rolled seam.

The container structure also includes a primary metallic top closure I preferably secured by an upstanding rolled double seam 8 in the usual manner. Just below the seam 8 the body 5 is provided with a large inwardly directed head 9, and it will be noted by reference to Figures 1, 4 and 5 of the drawing that the peripheral portion of the primary closure conforms in part to the upper surface of the head as at l0 so as to lie snugly thereagainst. The peripheral portion of the primary metallic closure 1 is provided with a continuous pinch score I I placed outwardly of or at a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the bead 9. The pinch score serves to weaken the primary closure I an amount sufficient to permit easy tearing out of the central portion of this closure without destroying the effectiveness of 1 the closure in sealing the container.

tory to the tearing out of the central portion of i the primary metallic closure.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 the central portion of the primary metallic closure having been removed and the reclosure disc also being removed.

In the example of embodiment of the container herein disclosed said container includes a It is to be understood that the container preferably is to be used for coffee, shortening material or any products which are packed in vacuum. 7

A paper reclosure disc I2 is inserted within the upstanding bead 8 and over the primary closure I in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 1, and the bead 8 is inwardly indented as at I3 to facilitate frictional retention of the disc within said bead. The disc is provided with a lift tab I4 secured thereto by a staple l5 and,

which facilitates removal of the disc from its frictional mounting.

The container and its vacuum packed product is marketed in the condition illustrated in Figures l and 2 of the drawing, and when it is desired to open the container the user grasps the lift tab I l and removes the reclosure disc l2 from its'frictional mounting within the bead 8. By reason of the provision of the pinch score II it is an easy matter to displace or tear out the central portion of the primary metallic closure 1,

and by reason of the placement of the pinch score.

outwardly of the irmer diameter of the bead 9 the raw edge l6 provided by this tearing out of the central portion of the primary closure is effectively shielded by the bead. the dot and dash line H clearly indicates how the inner extremity of the bead 9 extends inwardly beyond the edge Hiof the portion of the primary closure which remains after the tearing out of the central portion thereof and shields said edge against damaging contact by a hand of a user of the container.

After the container has been opened in the In Figure 5' manner hereinbefore described, the reclosure II can be applied to its frictional mounting to eflect a reclosure of the container, said'disc being frlctionally retained by the detents i3 and restme upon the peripheral portion of the primary closure remaining after the tearing out of the central portion thereof.

By forming the pinch score so as to eflect a downward displacement of the central body portion of the primary metallic closure 1 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 4, the sharp edge resulting from the tearing out of said central portion is placed so that it will merge downwardly into the inwardly and downwardly curving upper portion of the bead 9 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure and thereby addi tionally minimize the possibility of damaging con.-

' tact of a hand of a user with said edge. It is of course to be understood that the details disc j said closure having a peripheral portion directly contacting the upper portion of the bead and a pinch score in said peripheral portion extending continuouslytherearound at a vdiameter greater than the internal diameter of said bead and weakening the closure so as to permit easy tearing out of the central part of the closure without destroying the efiectiveness of the closure in the original sealing of the container, the projection of the bead inwardly beyond the score serving to shield the metal edge provided as a result of the tearing out of the central part of said closure from direct contact by a hand of a user of the container. p

2. In a metallic container of the character described, a body having an inwardly directed bead adjacent an end thereof, a primary metallic closure aflixed to said end by an upstanding rolled seam, said closure having a peripheral portion directly contacting the upper portion of the bead and a pinch score in said peripheral portion extending continuously therearound at a diameter greater than the internal diameter of said bead and weakening the closure so as to permit easy tearing out of the central part of the closure without destroying the effectiveness of the closure in the original sealing of the container, the projection of the bead inwardly beyond the score serving to shield the metal edge provided as a result of the tearing out'of the central part ofsaid closure from direct contact by a hand of a user of the container, and a lift out disc frictionally retainable as a reclosure member within said seamin position for being supported by the. portion'or the primary closure contacting said bead after the tearing out of said'central portion.

3. In ametallic container of the character described, a body having an inwardly directed bead adjacent an end thereof, a primary metallic closure aiiixedto said end by an upstanding rolled seam, said closure having a peripheral portion directly contacting the upper portion of the bead and a pinch score in said peripheral portion extending continuously" therearound at a diameter greater than the internal diameter of said bead and weakening the closure so as to permit easy tearing out of the central part of the closure without destroying the effectiveness of the closure in the original sealing of the'container, the. projection of the bead inwardly beyond .the score serving to shield the metal edge provided as a result of the tearing out of the central part of said closureirom direct contact by a hand of a user of the container, and a iift outdisc frictionally retainable as a reclosure member within said seam'in position for being supported py the portion of the primary closure contacting said bead afterthe tearing out of said central portion, said seam being equipped with .a plurality of inwardly projecting detents adapted to engage and frictionally retain the reclosure disc;

4. In a metallic container of the character de-v scribed, a body, a metallic primary closure secured by an upstanding rolled seam to an end of said body, said closure having a peripheral wall ex,-

tending downwardly and inwardly from said rolled seam and said closure also having a pinch Y score adjacent the base of the inwardly extending portion and weakening the closure sofas to permit easy tearing out of the central part thereof without destroying the eflectiveness of the closure in initially sealing the container, and a flat non-metallic lift out disk frictionally contacting at its periphery within and against said upstanding seam adjacent the base of the inwardly extending. portion and retainable as a reclosure member within said seem in position for being supported by the portion of the primary closure remaining after the'tearing out of said central portion.

' 5. A container structure as defined in claim 4 in which the downwardly extending portion of the primary closure is equipped with a'plurality of inwardly projecting detents adapted to engage and frictionally retain the reclosure disk. WILLIAM F. PUNTE.- 

